How Custom Software Development Can Help Grow Your Business: Part 2

What can you expect from customised software

In the first part of this series on customised software development we looked and the pros and cons of buying off-the-shelf software packages.

You can read the article in full here, but to recap, we determined canned products are an inexpensive and convenient, but because of inevitable limitations, are a short-term fix rather than a long-term solution.

In this article, we take a look at how custom software development resolves the issues pre-programmed software does not, particularly companies that have potential for growth.

Scaling your business with custom software development

The key advantage with customised software solutions is you can develop a system that meets the requirements of your business in the current climate, but also enables you to quickly adapt to changes as your business evolves.

Customised software can be designed around your business model and pieced together in a way that allows you to add and remove features as and when you need them without disrupting operations.

By installing an infrastructure that improves every aspect of your business operations, you increase productivity and maintain efficiency even during times of change.

This flexibility is crucial in the modern business world, particularly for online businesses that operate within the ever-changing confines of the digital marketing arena.

When software is programmed with future growth in mind, adapting to changes within the industry and within your business is seamless.

Furthermore, you can install exactly what you need for your company to perform at optimal levels – and the functions you need to implement your ideas may not be available in existing software.

Beating your rivals

When you use existing software packages, you do not have an advantage over your rivals. It can be difficult to outperform them with limited tools at your disposal. And if they are using customised software, you can guarantee you will be playing catch-up.

Customised software gives you a competitive edge and has the potential to delve deeper into broader markets that your rivals have not discovered.

Furthermore, custom designs are more dynamic and compatible with other software. This gives you the ability to create apps and websites that are unique to your business and offer customers an experience they are not getting anywhere else.

A customised infrastructure also means your employees only have to work with one platform as opposed to multiple programs. Off-the-shelf packages do not offer full solutions and eventually need changing, which means your staff have to get used to working with an entirely different program.

Having to switch software packages will slow productivity as employees become accustomed to new ways of working. Customised systems use the same functionality so users do not have to adapt to a new program.

Making a few tweaks to upgrade software is far easier than installing and replacing entire software packages. When you design your own technology, users simply have to learn what more the latest instalment can achieve.

Therefore, your business can adapt quickly to changes as the industry evolves. Developing your own customised software effectively removes the threat of potential obstacles that can otherwise stall continuous progress.